. . .because Morris, Minnesota, is a pleasant, quiet, safe yet intellectually stimulating place on the west central Minnesota prairie, home of the U of M-Morris and a whole lot of interesting people. - morris mn

"You'll never get ahead if you don't take care of what you have." - Doris Waddell, RIP

A historic building on our U of M-Morris campus - morris mn

The multi-ethnic building was the original home of the music department at UMM. (B.W. photo)

Monday, February 23, 2015

Shall we privatize school bus service?

So, the school is
considering contracting out bus services to a private company? Reminds
me of when the county board decided to "sell" the ambulance service. A
local citizen spoke up and said "huh?" He wondered if he could make a
bid for the sheriff's department.

I have wondered about snow plowing
services. I see all these dudes driving around in their 4-wheel drive
pickups with plow attachments on the front. They could become like an
army if they were put to work expeditiously clearing roads. No waiting
for the city or county plows.
Have you noticed how those dudes with
the plow attachments drive slower than the main stream of traffic on the
open highway? Makes you have to look for clearance to pass. Are they
all really on their way to go plow some snow? Or, are they just showing
off?
Remember the old days when you'd alert someone about "your
lights are on?" You might shout that while crossing a parking lot. I
remember the first time I realized such situations weren't cut and dried
anymore. Dudes would shut their cars off and have their lights stay on a
while. I did the usual favor of shouting "your lights are on." I was
told "no biggie," in effect. The lights would go off in due time. I
think the year was 1989. I was parked near the Metrodome in Minneapolis. I remember the Timberwolves were a new team. They played only one year in the Dome.
I fully realized this new phenomenon with headlights shortly thereafter, with a
friend. The friend theorized that some people with these new
super-powered batteries were "showing off."
Sometimes you'll see a car parked with its lights on and it really is a problem. Sometimes it's just hard to know.
School
buses are an issue. I remember when the school proposed eliminating
in-town bus service. On the face of it, it seemed preposterous. The
school backed off. But, think of how many kids don't avail themselves of
bus service. Think of all the kids in school activities. Of course,
some kids aren't.
I remember talking to a former Morris mayor who
wondered if the buses coming in from the country could just stop at
certain places in town on their way to the school. Could kids be
required to walk a few blocks to get to a "bus stop?"
Some people in
our hyper-sensitive world of today wonder if young children should even
walk unattended, even for a short distance. When I was a kid, we played
on our own all over the place.
The school says it has a hard time
finding bus drivers. Seems like a good job to me, until you look
closely. Apparently these drivers are required to call in stop arm
violations. My rule of thumb as a motorist is to just take "evasive
action" when seeing an orange school bus. Don't go near it. Change your
route. Those drivers apparently have a pipeline right to law
enforcement. Those law enforcement people are salivating over those
citations that bring in hundreds of dollars.
Of course, those same
citations can be a crippling financial blow to people who have the
misfortune of a lapse of attentiveness when near a school bus. If I'm a
bus driver, it would break my heart to have to call in a friend or
neighbor.
How many people who get these
citations are really driving recklessly? I would guess the vast majority
of these unfortunate souls actually proceed slowly and cautiously. They
just don't realize the absolute necessity of stopping. A mistake? Yes.
However, I think the punishment is too harsh and humiliating. I'm sure it affects their insurance rates.
Maybe there should be some
judgment applied. Was the driver showing wanton neglect of safety? Isn't
there a former Morris mayor/schoolteacher who got two of these
citations? Were those violations really reckless? I would assert "no."
As I have written before, in the "old days" the kids themselves bore
some of the responsibility for their safety. We were encouraged to "look
both ways" etc. Today the kids have no responsibility, rather the onus
is entirely on the motorists. That's not right.
We all need to
lighten up a little. The parents of a previous generation - the
"greatest generation" - assumed the world had risks. We were really just
supposed to do the best we could. Our fathers might have been in
foxholes in World War II. They knew what real peril was.
Today
there's an effort to eliminate bullying. The best way to accomplish
this? Get kids involved in activities and classes that truly engage them
and don't get them lost in boredom. Boredom is the breeding ground for
regressive behavior. Give kids a greater sense of fulfillment.
After
about the seventh grade, I found the vast majority of my school classes
irrelevant or counterproductive. I had no trouble mastering basic
"arithmetic" and I memorized multiplication tables. Once algebra came
along, I was stunned and became bitter. I couldn't do it. Did it matter?
It was because of the Cold War, right? We had to out-do the "Russkies,"
right? And so we got algebra with its "problem solving" challenges.
Look, I have no interest in butting heads with the "commies." We lost
about 60,000 young men and women in Southeast Asia because of this misplaced fear. I saw a documentary that showed footage of two or three
young soldiers lying face down in a swamp, dead and with blood on the
water around them. Do you think their parents raised them to end up like
this? Imagine those men as sweet young 4-Hers.
What kind of nation
would do this? Why should the nation foist algebra on its youth? Part of
the problem is that the education establishment, following human
nature, wants power. It gets power by making knowledge seem elusive. If
it were not elusive, we wouldn't be dependent on its members dispensing
it. Make students chase the carrot on the stick. Make information
elusive, and society might decide it really needs you.
This whole
model has been assailed, of course, by the Internet. At its root, the
Internet makes information accessible - the way it should be.
Algebra
and other boring, irrelevant or preachy curricula were pushed by the
non-local establishment, i.e. bureaucrats. It's in the teachers'
self-interest to make knowledge seem restricted or ethereal. "Let's make
students scratch and claw to get through these ungodly classes. Heaven
help us if students found information easy and convenient to gain, and
immediately useful."
We wouldn't need all these highly-paid faculty.
Well, maybe we don't need them. I think the home school movement is
simply a desperate effort by parents to get away from this model I'm
describing.
School buses were hazardous in my youth. That's not
because of any entering or exiting dangers. Heck, kids can just use
common sense and "look both ways." No sweat. The hazard I dealt with was
bullying. There was a cluster of ruffians on my bus route. I remember
when they started punching the ceiling just to aggravate the bus driver.
Finally the superintendent himself, Oscar Miller, entered the bus one
morning, recited some names, and had them come off to receive some
disciplinary action.
A common bullying practice was to "flick" the
ears of the kid in front of you, with your finger. That hurt
unbelievably. If I did take the bus, which wasn't often, I might have to
sit slumped forward and with my arms protecting my head and ears. Talk
to the bus driver? If I were to be a "snitch" and do this, heaven help
me. I could get beat up.
Up until age five I lived in St. Paul and
was a naive and trusting kid. I never experienced bullying. Everything
changed when we came to Morris. I could have been killed, even. And, the
kids who killed me wouldn't have cared. They would have made up some
story about how it was an accident, and to this day it wouldn't bother
their conscience.
School buses were totally hazardous. As far as
contracting this out to the private sector, it might be better. The
private sector tends to do everything better.
Could we do this with teachers too?
If
school buses were "privatized," as it were, would the drivers still be
required to be like an extension of the police, calling in stuff? This
is controversial. Do bus drivers really have the training to be an
extension of law enforcement? If not, maybe they should knock it off.
Let's just encourage kids to be careful. If we're going to take action
to ensure their safety, let's protect their safety while they're on the
bus. No finger flicking, taunting etc.
Why are kids so mean? Or, why
were they so mean? Boredom and despair, I'd say. Trying to complete
algebra assignments. Dissecting crayfish in biology class. Is it any
surprise that so many highly successful people were school dropouts?
They didn't have their ears "flicked." So, let's privatize bus service,
and let's not stop there. Let's get rid of the teachers union.

Summer scenes around Morris, 2012

Click on the image to view a Flickr album of photos taken around the Morris area in the warm weather months of 2012. This group includes photos taken at the 2012 UMM graduation. The image above taken near Perkins Lake was chosen for display in the "Minnesota Explorers" Flickr gallery which is linked to Rick Kupchella's "Bring Me the News" MN website. Also chosen was a field of sunflowers photo I took. I'm delighted to have such platforms available. - B.W.

Past MACA Tiger football photos:

City of Morris perspective:

Pin it on your chest!

Click on the above image to access our "City Data" page.

Morris Theater - morris mn

Click on this image to read thoughts/reflections on our Morris Theater, which is hanging on through changing times (as a co-op). There is a link at the bottom of this post to read part 2 as well. These posts were written in spring of 2010 so there are some dated references. Any Morris native can spin some fond recollections of enjoying cinema fare there with friends.

Enjoy some fall scenery around Morris:

Enjoy some winter scenes around Morris:

Sam Smith statue - morris mn

Click on the image to read about the Sam Smith "running rifleman" statue at Summit Cemetery. This post explores the life of Samuel Smith, early Morris resident. He fought for the Union cause in several major engagements in the Civil War. The statue is patterned after the statue for the First Minnesota Regiment at Gettysburg National Park. This post is the newest of three that I have written about Sam Smith. I consider it the most comprehensive about the man. The statue can be an overlooked landmark of Morris MN. Everyone here ought to be familiar with it. Smith raised a large family north of Morris.

The first building here

In 1871 the first building erected within the village of Morris was the headquarters of the chief engineer of the railroad, C.H.F. Morris. With the railroad came the people.

The WCROC overlook

A nice view to the west is afforded from the WCROC overlook. It's a relatively new feature of the WCROC grounds. Specifically it's part of the WCROC Horticulture Garden. Click on the image to reach the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) website. Les Lindor was instrumental in making the overlook a reality. He served the West Central Experiment Station (the entity predating the WCROC) as ag engineer.

Stay informed about Stevens County MN:

Morris' music mecca:

Words to live by

This original and popular sign can be seen from the highway between Morris and Cyrus. It's associated with the late Dan Helberg. There used to be a sculpture next to it but perhaps it was removed due to legal restrictions (i.e. as a distraction). The sign has the thumbs-up for which we are grateful. Let's always heed these words.

Some spring/summer photo scenes:

The bike trail system

Call it both a walking and bicycling trail. It snakes along both the east and west sides of our Pomme de Terre River. You can do a complete lap which reportedly measures 4 1/2 miles. It's a fitness challenge for those willing to push their bodies a little! This photo was taken on the east side of the river, heading toward Lake Crissey (a wide spot on the river). Spring is a great time to get out there.

Our area's history:

Remembering "ag school"

From the time it accepted its first class in 1910, until it graduated its final class of seniors in 1963, over 7,000 students attended the West Central School of Agriculture. The precursor of the U of M-Morris, it opened its doors to its first class of 103 students in October of 1910.

Wildflowers out by the river

Click on this image to reach the "Minnesota wildflowers" website. This photo was taken on the west side of our Pomme de Terre River.

Before the current library

In 1921 the Stevens County Memorial Armory was built on the 100 block of East 6th Street, the site which is now occupied by the Morris Public Library.1969 saw the opening of the new Morris Public Library on the site of the old armory, leaving vacant the Carnegie building. The Historical Society found a new home in the Carnegie building in 1970.

A suggested restaurant

About Me

Brian Williams is a former writer in the Morris "dead tree" media who plies his pastime in the wonderful, liberating new media today. He refuses to consider himself an alternative journalist because the web is now the mainstream. Newspapers are in rapid retreat and it won't be long before they will exist in vestigial form only. Print media will not die because as a media observer put it: "We will always have print media for as long as there's a 'print' button on your computer." A once weekly newspaper (like in Morris) won't cut it. It's not consistent with our instant gratification culture. But the media are blossoming more than ever thanks to all the new tools. It's an uplifting, "green" new universe. Key word suggestions: morris mn - hancock mn - donnelly mn - cyrus mn - chokio mn - alberta mn - 56267 - stevens county - morris theater mn - morris area tigers - hancock owls.

Buy a car:

Pomme de Terre or Perkins?

Most maps identify it as "Perkins Lake" but it's known as Pomme de Terre to many local residents. The sign at the entry to the lake access uses the Pomme de Terre term, so that seems legitimate. This lake is part of a chain that represent wide spots on the Pomme de Terre River. Pomme de Terre Lake is useful for recreation and fishing, plus there are many fine residences along the shoreline. The chain is located several miles north of Morris.

A Destiny Driver. . .

"I Love Morris" is consistent with one of the "destiny drivers" as articulated by Stevens Forward! (named for Stevens County): "By 2010 we will enhance our interconnectedness by better utilizing the technology infrastructure to create a virtual community." (2010 is already here but this is always a "work in progress!")

We're the "Storm" in hockey

Click on this image to reach the official website of the Morris Benson Area "Storm" hockey program. Of course it's "MBA" for short. In Morris these teams play at the Lee Community Center, next to the fairgrounds.

B.W.'s country music memories, 1996-97:

Your Congressman:

Maintain perspective:

Main street of Morris mn

Atlantic Avenue is the main street of Morris and it's typically abuzz. Click on the above image to reach the Stevens County Economic Improvement Commission website.

Gager's Station

The first stopping place in Stevens County was Gager's Station, considered by some historians to be one of the more important stopping plces on the Wadsworth Trail. The station was nestled among the trees near Wintermute Lake.

VIDEO CLIPS

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The Eagles huddle

Blue is the color of the Morris amateur baseball team which goes by the nickname "Eagles." They're pictured about to break a pre-game huddle at their home: Chizek Field, named for the late Don Chizek who coached the Morris High Tigers for many years. The Tigers now have their own veteran coach in Lyle Rambow. Lyle had a successful playing career with the Eagles.

RIP jazz band leaders:

Best dog you could own:

"Dog is my co-pilot":

Superb early-morning TV:

Wind turbines - morris mn

There are two grand wind turbines such as this one on the eastern edge of Morris. It appears glistening white in this photo but they often are dark, silhouetted against the bright sky. A photographer never tires of them. They have become sustainable symbols of the community.

A trail of long ago here

The Wadsworth Trail was established by the U.S. Government in 1864 to transport supplies from St. Cloud to Fort Wadsworth, west of present day Sisseton, South Dakota.

No longer just a comedian:

She's upstaging Jim Klobuchar now:

Visit our McDonald's

It's a hotspot for dependable fast food and, just as important, socializing: our McDonald's Restaurant on the north end of Atlantic Avenue.

Our park in west Morris

Wells Park, located near Pacific Avenue and West 11th Street, was established in 1916 on land donated to the city by Henry Wells (a successful businessman and land investor) and Margaret Hulburd. Additional land was donated in 1935 by the Wells Investment Company, and in 1980 by Grace Zamerow.